Jim Murphy: I am today publishing a report on Departments' and Agencies' performanceon handling Members' and Peers' correspondence for 2005. Details are set out in the attached table. Departmental figures are based on substantive replies unless otherwise indicated.
	The footnotes to the table provide general background information on how the figures have been compiled.
	
		Correspondence from MPs / Peers to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives 1 
		
			  2004 2005  
			  Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within target Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received % of replies within target 
		
		
			 Department or Agency  
			 Cabinet Office 15 637 88 15 537 97 
			 Department for Constitutional Affairs 20 3,416 64 20 3,179 92 
			 Court Service 15 429 95 15 359 99 
			 HM Land Registry 20 44 95 15 55 96 
			 National Archives 15 149 100 10 30 100 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 2 15 14 92 – – – 
			 Official Solicitor and Public Trustee 15 17 100 15 26 100 
			 Public Guardianship Office 15 134 93 15 112 99 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 15 520 98 15 476 98 
			 HM Customs and Excise 3 18 1,321 51 – – – 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 18 4,817 78 20 5,085 63 
			 Ministry of Defence4 15 5,989 62 15 5,378 79 
			 Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency 15 126 99 15 207 99 
			 Defence Estates 2 15 11 100 – – – 
			 Veterans Agency 15 287 99 15 138 99 
			 Warship Support Agency 2 15 15 91 – – – 
			 Department for Education and Skills 15 15,313 93 15 18,547 86 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 15 14,305 81 15 12,051 75 
			 Food Standards Agency 20 782* 59 20 738* 73 
			  20 78** 95 20 91** 90 
			 * Letters where Health Ministers have replied. 
			 ** Letters where Chief Executive/Chairman has replied. 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 5 20 26,942 83 20 9,588 80 
			   
			 UK Visas 6 15 12,849 45 15 9,189* 45 
			 20 1,720** 58 
			 *Letters where UK Visa officials have replied.  
			 **Letters where FCO Ministers have replied. 
			 Department of Health 20 20,140 80 20 20,155 91 
			 Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency 10 284 81 10 340 92 
			 NHS Estates 7 20 112 73 20 90 86 
			 NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency 20 57 60 20 32 86 
			 Home Office (non IND correspondence) 15 9,445 76 15 8,899 79 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) 8 20 35,802 34 20 41,063 53 
			 Criminal Records Bureau 10 272 95 10 471 94 
			 HM Prison Service 20 1,154 73 20 868 80 
			 UK Passport Service 10 486 74 10 524 60 
			 Department for International Development 15 4,686 80 15 4,593 67 
			 Inland Revenue 3 18 2,993 85 – – – 
			  18 1,601* 45 – – – 
			 *Local tax office delegated figures (where local tax offices have replied direct to MPs)  
			 Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lord's Office 15 60 87 15 143 95 
			 Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers 20 404 63 20 335 68 
			 Northern Ireland Office 10 567 68 10 742 64 
			 Compensation Agency 7 125 67 7 62 100 
			 Northern Ireland Prison Service 10 48 85 10 39 92 
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 15 10,135 81 15 8,937 79 
			 Planning Inspectorate 8 379 81 10 243 67 
			 Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 15 504 95 15 302 97 
			 Scotland Office 15 82 77 15 56 53 
			 Department for Trade and Industry 9 15 11,807 72 15 10,821 50 
			 Companies House 10 56 98 10 38 100 
			 Employment Tribunals Service 10 61 93 10 91 95 
			 Insolvency Service 10 33 94 10 99 98 
			 Patent Office 10 297 84 10 496 94 
			 Department for Transport 15 8,593 86 15 7,849 80 
			 Driving Standards Agency 15 198 79 15 89 87 
			 DVLA 7 1,276 100 7 1,113 100 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency – – – 7 16 100 
			 Highways Agency 15 285 95 15 287 99 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 10 20 100 10 18 100 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 15 13 77 15 16 94 
			  
			 HM Treasury 1  0 15 4,316 86 15 2,585 84 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 3 – – – 18 4,231 72 
			 18 1,601* 45 
			 National Savings and Investments 15 74 92 15 21 95 
			 National Statistics 15 189 95 15 155 91 
			  10 133 73 10 114** 84 
			 Valuation Office 18 18 83 18 21 80 
			 *Local Tax Office 'Delegated' figures (where local tax offices have replied directly to MPs). The marked increase in correspondence in quarters 3 and 4 of 2004 continued throughout 2005 unabated. Clearances during the year were affected by moving some complaint drafters to help to clear Disputed Overpayments. Currently restructuring how we deal with complaints and performance should improve. 
			 **Letters where National Statistician replied on Ministers' behalf 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department 10 49 98 10 28 100 
			 Wales Office 15 109 92 15 83 80 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 20 13,319 86 20 10,596 90 
			 Appeals Service 15 50 98 15 60 95 
			 Child Support Agency 15 5,390 88 15 5,367 99 
			 Debt Management 15 25 100 15 35 100 
			 Disability and Carers Service 15 451 100 15 425 100 
			 Health and Safety Executive 10 127 70 15 77 77 
			 Jobcentre Plus 15 1,136 90 15 1,062 90 
			 The Pension Service 15 1,340 89 15 1,042 98 
		
	
	1 Departments and Agencies which received 10 MPs/Peers letters or fewer during 2005 are not shown in this table. Holding or interim replies are not included unless otherwise indicated. This report includes letters from prospective candidates prior to the general election. The report does not include correspondence considered as Freedom of Information requests.
	2 Received fewer than 10 letters in 2005.
	3 With effect from 1 April 2005, HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue merged to form HM Revenue and Customs.
	4 Includes a small number of letters from members of the public that received a ministerial reply. Figure also includes some FOI requests, though these represent less than 1 per cent of total reported.
	5 Reduced volume of correspondence compared to previous years reflects the setting up of a central correspondence system and the introduction of a more accurate method of monitoring letters received.
	6 Poor performance caused by backlog of cases and resource issues. Performance for December 2005 was 75 per cent, increased to 81 per cent in March 2006.
	7 Abolished in September 2005.
	8 IND saw an increase in volume of 15 per cent between 2004 and 2005 (6 per cent increase in ministerial, and 21 per cent in official replies). During 2005 all official replies were again signed off by IND senior executive group members which inevitably built delays into the system, but had the effect of significantly enhancing the quality of replies.
	9 Performance slipped last year due to internal reorganisation following a reduction in staff numbers. Launch of new centralised response unit will raise level of performance.
	1 0 Includes all ministerial correspondence.

Ben Bradshaw: I am pleased to announce that, following consideration of the responses to public consultation, I have today laid before Parliament the Waste Management (England and Wales) regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006 No. 937), The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 23) (England and Wales) Order 2006 (2006 No. (C. 934)) and a final regulatory impact assessment.
	The effect of section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is to exclude waste from premises used for agriculture, and waste from mines and quarries, from the waste management controls that apply to "controlled waste". The main purpose of the regulations is to repeal that exclusion and to apply to agricultural waste, and to non-mineral waste from mines and quarries, the national controls that are already in place to comply with the Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EEC as amended) and the Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC).
	The exclusion in section 75(7) (c) of the 1990 Act has been the subject of infraction proceedings on the Waste Framework Directive. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued an adverse judgment on this infraction on 16 December 2004 (Case C-62/03) and a copy is available on the Court's website at http://curia.eu.int/jurisp/cgi-bin/ form.pl?lang=en&Submit=Submit&docj= docj&numaff=C-62%2F03&datefs=&datefe= &nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=&resmax=100. The exclusion also applies to the legislation transposing the Landfill Directive in England and Wales.
	At present, most agricultural waste is disposed of on farm in "farm dumps" or by open burning. The regulations will ensure that agricultural waste is recovered or disposed of in ways which protect the environment and human health. The controls will be enforced by the Environment Agency, as the "competent authority" in England and Wales, in ways which are proportionate to the risk to the environment and human health. The existing controls have applied to all other sectors of industry and types of waste since May 1994 in the case of the Waste Framework Directive; and since June 2002 in the case of the Landfill Directive.
	The main consultation paper was sent to 495 organisations and a summary, with a pull-out questionnaire, was sent to 162,000 farmers and growers in England and Wales. There were 103 responses to the main consultation and 2,485 responses to the summary questionnaire. A consultation report has been prepared in compliance with the Cabinet Office "Code of Practice on Consultation" and is available on my Department's website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/agwaste.htm
	The regulations come into force on Monday 15 May 2006. The Landfill Directive's requirements, section 33(1 )(c) of the 1990 Act and the duty of care under section 34 of the Act will apply from that date. However, the regulations contain transitional provisions which allow farmers six months from that date to register with the Environment Agency to transport agricultural waste on a professional basis or as a dealer or broker; and allow farmers 12 months to apply to the Agency for waste management licences, to dispose of or recover agricultural waste on-farm, or to register licensing exemptions.
	A wide range of licensing exemptions will be available to farmers. As a result of discussions with the Agricultural Waste Stakeholders' Forum and public consultation, we have identified proposals for more licensing exemptions for agricultural waste covering the use of drum incinerators, waste disposal in the event of a plant health disease outbreak, the use of ash from the incineration of non-SRM pig and poultry carcasses, the use of biobeds for pesticide residues and the use of dredgings from ditch clearances. We propose to carry out a supplementary consultation exercise on these proposals for more licensing exemptions during the 12-month transitional period before the regulations' waste management licensing provisions come fully into force.
	The regulations also contain related or consequential amendments to existing regulations. The main amendments are:
	To ensure continuing compliance with the Waste Framework Directive following the repeal of the Animal Waste Directive (90/667/EEC) and the introduction of the EU Animal By-Products Regulation ((EC) No. 1774/2002) which lays down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption. The proposed amendments apply to animal by-products which are waste within the meaning of Article 1(a) of the Waste Framework Directive and are not excluded from the Directive's scope under Article 2;
	To repeal regulation 15 of the Waste Management Licensing regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994 No. 1056 (as amended)) and to amend the Groundwater regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998 No. 2746 (as amended)) to bring waste management licensing into line with other types of "authorisations" for the purposes of complying with the Groundwater Directive (80/68/EEC); and
	To address another aspect of the ECJ's adverse judgment on the Waste Framework Directive infraction by amending section 33(2) of the 1990 Act to provide that section 33(1) (c) applies to household waste from a domestic property; and so to prohibit the disposal etc. of such waste by private individuals, within the curtilage of the property, in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. The prohibition already applies to any mineral or synthetic oil or grease, asbestos and clinical waste by virtue of regulation 3(1) of the Controlled Waste regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992 No. 588).

Geoff Hoon: The Parliamentary and Other Pensions Act 1987 requires the Government Actuary to make triennial reports on the financial position of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund. His latest report, dealing with the position of the Fund as at 1 April 2005, is published today and a copy of the report "Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund: Report by the Government Actuary on the Valuation as at 1 April 2005 [HC 979]" has been laid before the House. It includes his recommendation on the rate of Exchequer contributions to be made to the Fund, which the Act requires the Government to follow. The new rate of Exchequer contribution will be implemented in accordance with the requirements of the Act from 1 April 2006.
	The Government Actuary has assessed that the underlying cost of the benefits accruing under the Parliamentary pension scheme is lower than the cost assessed at the previous actuarial valuation in 2002 (27.4 per cent. of the total pensionable payroll of scheme members compared with 28 per cent.). This is primarily because the Government Actuary has assumed, in the light of recent experience, that MPs will leave and retire at higher ages than was assumed previously. Furthermore, the Exchequer share of the underlying cost has decreased due to higher contributions being paid by most of the scheme's members. The Government Actuary expects members' contributions to total 9.3 per cent.of the payroll, compared with 8.7 per cent. at the 2002 valuation. The Exchequer's share of the underlying cost has therefore fallen from 19.3 per cent. of payroll to 18.1 per cent.
	However, despite the fall in the underlying cost of accruing benefits and in the Exchequer share of that cost, the Government Actuary has recommended an increase in the level of Exchequer contributions to the Fund from the current level of 24 per cent. of payroll to a new level of 26.8 per cent. This is because there has been an increase in the deficit in the Fund (that is, a shortfall of assets to the estimated value of liabilities) since the Government Actuary's last valuation in 2002 from £25.2 million to £49.5 million. (For the purposes of the actuarial valuation, the value of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund's assets at 31 March 2005 was assessed as £278.6 million).
	The deficit would have risen by around £7 million even if the experience of the scheme had developed entirely in line with the assumptions made at the 2002 valuation—because of the interest that is assumed to accrue on the deficit, and because the increase in Exchequer contributions following the previous valuation only took effect a year after the valuation date. However, the deficit has increased further because the experience of the scheme has differed from what the Government Actuary assumed at the 2002 valuation, and also because the Government Actuary has changed his assumptions about what will happen in the future.
	The main area where the experience of the scheme has differed from what the Government Actuary assumed is in relation to investment returns, which were lower than expected. In common with most other pension funds and other investors in equity shares, the Fund experienced negative investment returns in the first year covered by the Government Actuary's report and positive returns in the subsequent two years. Although the investment returns over the three years as a whole were positive, they were lower than had been assumed. Overall, divergence of the scheme's experience from the Government Actuary's assumptions made at the 2002 valuation contributed around £5 million to the increased deficit.
	The main area where the Government Actuary has changed his assumptions about what will happen in the future is in relation to the longevity of members. Again, in common with other pension funds, the Fund has been affected by the fact that people are living longer. The Government Actuary has assumed that the life expectancy of a 65-year old man has increased by two years to 19.5 years. Overall, changes in the Government Actuary's assumptions contributed around £13 million to the increased deficit.
	The contributions by the Exchequer to the Fund have fluctuated over the years, and the Exchequer has benefited in the past from the fact that the Fund has been in surplus and that lower contributions have been paid as a result. The level of Exchequer contributions over the period 1989 to 2003 varied between 4.4 per cent. and 9.6 per cent. of payroll, representing a saving of between 6.6 per cent. and 11 per cent. of payroll over the Exchequer's share of the underlying cost of the accruing benefits.
	Separately from his report on the actuarial valuation, the Government Actuary has estimated that the capitalised value as at 1 April 2005 of the saving to the Exchequer over the period 1989 to 2003 (that is, the difference between the actual level of the Exchequer contribution and the Exchequer share of the underlying cost of the accruing benefits) is £50 million.
	The Government will be drawing the increased Exchequer contribution to the Fund to the attention of the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) when it next commissions the SSRB to make recommendations on the pension element of the Parliamentary remuneration package.
	The increase of 2.8 per cent in the Exchequer contribution may be broken down as follows:
	
		
		
			   
		
		
			 Lower ongoing cost of benefit accrual as a result of changes to actuarial assumptions -0.6 per cent 
			 Higher contributions from scheme members -0.6 per cent 
			 Higher deficit contributions as a result of divergence of experience from 2002 valuation assumptions +1.5 per cent 
			 Higher deficit contributions as a result of changes to actuarial assumptions +2.5 per cent

Stephen Ladyman: I am announcing today the Secretary of State's targets for 2006–07 in respect of the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Alistair Darling), has set a range of high-level targets for the 2006–07 year on behalf of the agencies within the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group: the Driving Standards Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Vehicle Certification Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency. They are included in the agencies' business plans together with their associated measures. The plans also include a range of management targets, performance indicators and key tasks which are appropriate to the agencies' businesses and which reflect the wider DVO change agenda. Copies of the business plans will be placed in the Library shortly.
	The key targets for the Driving Standards Agency are:
	Secretary of State Targets
	Appointments available within nine weeks at 90 per cent. of permanent car driving test centres by 31 March 2006.
	In order to provide off road motorcycle test facilities to comply with EU requirements to have 20 multi-purpose test centres operational by 31 March 2007.
	To achieve candidate satisfaction with the overall service received at 90 per cent. or better.
	Improve driving standards of new drivers.
	Improve standards of professional lorry and bus drivers.
	Improve driving standards of existing drivers.
	In order to raise the standards of tuition and to prevent unqualified ADIs giving instruction to learner drivers, from January 2007 remove ADIs from the Register who failed to pass the HPT by 31 December 2006.
	Maximise staff productivity—Have no more than 10 per cent. of non-productive examiner time during 2006–07.
	Maximise electronic take-up—Develop electronic services to provide greater choice and achieve 60 per cent. of theory test bookings and 50 per cent. of car practical test bookings being made on-line by 31 March 2007.
	Deliver value for money plan improvements by March 2007.
	The key targets for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are:
	Secretary of State Targets
	Maintain or improve on the standard of services to the customer.
	Maintain or improve customer satisfaction at the 2005–06 level of 88 per cent.
	Deliver customer choice for operational services through increasing the number of inbound services available via electronic channels.
	Maintain 97.5 per cent. of current vehicle keepers as the level to be successfully traced from the record.
	Work with the Insurance Industry to deliver enforcement of insurance from the record (subject to implementation of the Road Safety Bill).
	By 31 January 2007
	Reduce VED evasion loss to 2.9 per cent.
	Reduce the number of persistent evaders of VED from the June 2002 figure by 50 per cent.
	Deliver the benefits agreed in the value for money plan:
	Financial VfM gain;
	Reduction in workforce;
	Delivery of additional VED;
	Delivery of additional net income from Sale of Marks and income from Cherished Transfers.
	Deliver a programme of e-service capability across the consumer, commercial and business sectors.
	The key targets for the Vehicle Certification Agency are:
	Secretary of State Targets
	To be the class leader in acceptance of type approval certificates by other authorities.
	Improve customer satisfaction rating in core MSC market sector.
	Development of consumer information for secondary safety systems.
	Target new emerging manufacturing markets to ensure that products fully meet EU standards.
	Develop capability for virtual testing, and conduct one parallel virtual/physical test.
	Carry out and enforce an annual programme of in-service emissions testing.
	Achieve a surplus on a full cost basis and deliver benefits consistent with the value for money plan.
	Increase utilisation by an additional three percentage points.
	The key targets for the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency are:
	Secretary of State Targets
	To maintain or improve customer satisfaction at 2005–06 levels.
	To improve the consistency of VOSA's vehicle testing service across the country.
	To contribute to making journeys more reliable on the strategic road network, improving road safety and minimising congestion, by working in partnership with the Highways Agency and targeting "at risk" vehicles.
	To contribute to improved road safety by reducing the administrative burden of commercial operation and increasingly targeting enforcement on non-compliant vehicles and drivers.
	To deliver VOSA's value for money plan.
	Increase the take-up of electronic services available to customers.